Why Businesses Need a Lone Worker Monitor

Lone workers require a dedicated monitoring solution to ensure duty of care is met. This could include devices that track gas levels, detect falls or require a single button to activate an alert.

Time based check ins use automated countdowns which ask the employee to confirm they are safe at pre-determined intervals. Alternatively, they can request help by using a panic alarm feature.

Check-ins

Lone workers need to check in regularly. lone worker alert system This is especially important for those who work in dangerous situations or remote locations where it may be difficult to contact them if something goes wrong. Regular check-ins also provide employees with a sense of connection to the company and help identify potential issues before they become serious problems.

There are different types of lone worker safety devices, from basic mobile apps to high tech wearables that can detect falls and other dangers. Many of them offer a one-touch emergency button that can be triggered if the employee feels their safety is in danger. However, the best lone worker monitors offer more advanced features like automated check-ins, customizable escalation plans, and access to live monitoring personnel.

These lone worker monitors will automatically ask the lone worker whether they are okay or not after an allocated period of time. This is much more reliable than traditional buddy systems that rely on someone remembering to call a person and asking them if they are safe.

If the lone worker does not respond to the check-in request, the system will alert the supervisor or assigned 'buddy'. The supervisor can then follow up with the employee or initiate an emergency response depending on the situation. A lone worker monitor can also be configured with a man down feature that is set for shorter periods of time and will not allow the lone worker to move within that time.

Panic alerts

If a lone worker experiences an emergency, a mobile device can trigger an alert even when the employee can’t unlock or open their phone and call for help. Using a wearable safety monitor or an app that can operate even without a cellular signal, employees can use a panic button to send a message to a monitoring centre that they need assistance.

man down device Alternatively, some lone worker devices have built-in man-down/fall-detection features that can automatically send an overtime alert to a supervisor if the device hasn’t been active for a set period of time. This helps to prevent the risk of a lone worker being ignored and provides extra protection for remote workers in dangerous or isolated locations.

Some lone worker alarm systems, like SHEQSY by SafetyCulture, also offer a panic alert button that can be activated manually or automatically to notify a monitoring centre of an emergency situation. This feature is especially useful for hotel or hospital staff who might encounter aggressive or inappropriate behavior from guests or patients.

Whether your team is out in the field, at work or home, an alert from a lone worker monitor will always reach the monitoring centre. Using the device’s GPS to track their location, the lone worker device will send an alert to their assigned guardian so that they can check-in, monitor the situation and dispatch law enforcement as per the company’s escalation policy.

Alerts on health and wellness





In some cases, lone workers may experience a medical emergency. This type of situation can be a matter of life or death, and the fastest way to get help is to send an emergency signal. A good lone worker monitor has the capability to quickly send an emergency signal to a monitoring centre without having to go through the steps of unlocking the phone, opening the app and pressing a button.

In a similar vein, the lone worker monitor should be able to alert employees if the device feels that a person is not moving for an extended period of time. This is known as a “man down” alert and can be extremely important in assessing the wellbeing of an individual who may not have realised they’ve been stabbed or injured.

Some lone worker devices have built-in GPS to track an employee’s location, which can also be helpful when they are in remote areas with limited or no cellular coverage. This feature is especially useful for lone workers who often visit residential properties or commercial buildings, and can be helpful in ensuring that they are in the right place when it comes to meeting with clients.

When selecting a lone worker monitor, look for a solution that has automatic failover connectivity through another means such as satellite or cellular. This ensures that a lone worker’s connection to their employer is always on, even if the cellular network is down or they run out of battery.

Reporting

Lone worker monitoring provides a robust solution to help businesses comply with health and safety regulations and reduce the risk of fines and legal action. It also allows businesses to ensure their staff are safe and accounted for, allowing them to rest easy knowing they have a reliable system in place.

Workers are reminded to Check-in by SMS at set intervals throughout their working day and are monitored until they Check-out at the end of their shift. If a worker is not able to Check-in then an emergency alert will be sent to their contacts via the mobile app and an automatic escalation procedure will be initiated. Alternatively, if the employee is unable to finish their shift they can simply log out from the mobile app or by calling the lone worker monitoring centre to request an extension.

If the device detects that a user has fallen or is unconscious, it will automatically trigger an emergency call to be answered at an Alarm Receiving Centre. The operator will then talk to the individual to try and establish what has happened and how much assistance they require. The lone worker can also press the ‘Man Down’ button on their device to raise an Incapacitation Alert. If a lone worker has not Checked-in or they have failed to raise an Emergency Alert and it is feared that they are in danger, the lone worker can activate their panic button to send an SOS alert to the Alarm Receiving Centre, and the lone worker will be monitored in real time by a trained escalation team.